


Now The Puzzle Was Complete

by LadyScript



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), F/M, Harley Keener & Peter Parker Friendship, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 06:10:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20271238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyScript/pseuds/LadyScript
Summary: Now here they were, Peter and Harley in the lab while they talked about science and movies, videogames and things too difficult for Happy to comprehend. [...] Both of them had suffered a lot, too much for their age and they had lost a lot but now they didn't have to deal with their pain alone and as Tony had said long time ago, they would have done great things together. There was just a missing piece in that puzzle.





	Now The Puzzle Was Complete

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, a few words about the story.  
I don't own the rights of the characters which belong to Marvel and Disney, i own only the story who has been written for fun. This is my first story posted, english is not my first language so please be kind with me.  
Comments and advices will be well accepted in order to improve my skills.  
I hope the story will be appreciated.  
That's all, enjoy yourself. ;)

<<I’d say that the best thing to do right now is that both of you keep a low profile, at least until everything will be clarified>> said Pepper, getting up from her chair.

They were in a conference room at the compound, he and May had been driven there by Happy after the fact, for protection. The compound was distant from the city center and well protected from intrusions. Peter was listening to the conversation between him, May, Happy and Pepper without saying a word, eyes down while he thought about Ned and MJ, his best friend and his recent girlfriend. He hadn’t even had time to be accustomed to the idea of having a girlfriend that his whole world had been turned upside down. Quentin Beck had dropped the puzzle of his life that now laid on the floor in pieces. Now he doubted to still have a girlfriend or a friend, a life.

He couldn’t stop thinking that he’d never see them again, everything was so absurd. How much he wished that all of that thing was just a bad dream and he was about to wake up but it wasn’t a dream or an illusion, it was the reality and he felt so lost.

<<Is it ok for you, Honey?>> aunt May's voice ripped him off from his thoughts, it sounded distant for a moment. He didn't have a clue of what she was referring. He felt her hand on his arm, he shook his head, trying to chase away his thoughts and focus on the situation. He looked up at the only relative he had, May was looking at him with concern and this made him feel worse, after all she suffered, his parents, uncle Ben, the Blip, she didn't deserve to suffer again, it was all his fault.

<<Yeah it's ok for me>> Peter said, looking at Pepper and then at Happy, trying to look as confident as possible. The truth was that he wasn't confident at all, he wasn't confident of nothing anymore, of how all that situation could be solved, if he would ever see his classmates again, if he could ever go back to school or in an open place. It was all a disaster and he would have wanted to scream and cry until he was exhausted but he couldn't. 

<<Fine, I'll contact our legal office, we will do everything we can>> claimed the red haired woman, now standing. She came closer to Peter, then she stooped towards him.

<<I want you to know that you are at home here, Tony would have wanted it that way>> she said with a soft voice, putting a hand on his shoulder and looking directly in his eyes. Her blue eyes just like her voice were sweet and comprehensive. Tony's name hit him like a stab, if he had continued to looking at her he wouldn't be able to stop himself to start crying, so he appealed to all of his strengths to not crumble like on Titan, emotionally speaking. Peter nodded, May squeezed gently his arm, her eyes shiny. 

<<Ok>> Pepper said straightening up, she took a deep breath <<Then it's decided, Happy...>>

<<I'll handle that>> said the ex bodyguard, intercepting what the Stark Industries CEO was about to say, standing up to, fixing his jacket. He had a concerning expression on his face but he tried to look confident. Everybody knew that the situation was difficult and complicated, hide it would have been unuseful.

<<Good, see you later then>> Pepper squeezed gently Peter's shoulder and smiled before heading to the door, she nodded at Happy who reciprocated. Peter followed with his gaze the woman while she exited the room, the automatic door closed behind her then he turned around.

May's gaze made him crumble, she was not worried about herself but about him and this was the worst thing, the revelation of his identity put in danger everybody was around him and she thought about him, not herself. She hugged him and he couldn't avoid to sink his face in her neck, it was all so difficult.

Happy accompanied them to their room, Peter had a personal room at the compound and he didn't even remember. It had been long time and so many things had happened since he finished his "Internship" at Stark Industries. Aunt May had been accommodated in the room next to his, left empty from his owner, fallen in battle. More of one room were empty now. When he entered in his room he was overwhelmed by memories, of every time he had stopped to sleep at the compound to work with mister Stark, with Tony, about some project or some suit upgrade, every time when he had fallen asleep on the coach of the common area without even being aware and had found himself in his room, every time he had talked with his mentor about what was bothering him and distracting him from his work. So many memories and yet so little.

He reached the bed, perfectly done, and sat on its border, he stooped and took his head with his hands, his fingers through his hair.

Someone knocked on the door, Happy peeped out from the corridor, he saw his hand up on the wall near to the open automatic door of the room. He wore his usual suit and his blip beard.

<<Hey>> Happy said reaching the bed and sitting near to him on its border, the mattress sank a little due to his weight.

<<Hey>> answered Peter, straightening and trying to recompose himself, he tried to smile without success.

<<How are you?>> the ex head of security asked, putting a hand on Peter’s shoulder. The young hero would have wanted to say that he was in pieces, like the glass against which he was thrown in Beck’s illusion, like a puzzle with missing pieces. He would have wanted to say that he didn’t have any idea of what to do and he was afraid for May, his friends, Ned, Mj and his classmates, that he had never wished so much that Tony was there.

<<I’m fine>> lied, nodding and diverting his gaze from the man. Peter was afraid that happy could have understood he was lying. He heard him sighing and then taking his hand away from his shoulder.

<<Listen>> Happy began after some minutes of silence <<Why don’t you go to the lab>> he suggested. Peter looked up at him again, he saw him moving uncertain in his place on the bed <<Well building helped Tony, it distracted him, in this way he often found the solution of a problem>> Happy explained gesticulating unsure.

Peter looked at him for a few minutes, it was clear that Happy was trying to help him, to keep his chin up and that he didn’t know how to behave with him and he was trying. The man had been the first person he had thought to call when he had found himself in Netherlands. The young hero thought to the relief he had felt when he had seen the man getting off the plane and again when he had been sure that he was him and not an illusion. He had hugged him, anchoring to him.

<<Ok it’s a bad idea, I shouldn’t have suggested it, probably I’m making things worse>> he said, standing up from the bed, shaking his head.

<<No no>> Peter said immediately, following the man, standing up too <<it’s – it’s a good idea, thanks Happy>> he tried to smile. This time he must have been successful because Happy relaxed a bit.

<<Good>> said the ex bodyguard nodding a little rigidly <<Oh come on>> he hugged him and Peter let the man holding him in his arms and even if just for a few minutes he felt protected.

<<Everything is going to be ok>> Peter heard him say before letting him go. Peter felt tears in his eyes <<Go come on>> Happy pushed him gently towards the door.

Reached the threshold of the door, Peter turned around, he didn’t say anything, he saw Happy smiling then set out for the lab.

Peter reached the lab without any problem, he remembered perfectly how to reach it, he arrived at the door with his head down.

<<Welcome back Peter>> said Friday gently, the doors of the lab opened with a hiss.

<<Thanks Fri…>> Peter stopped himself when looking up he saw something that he didn’t expect to see <<…day>> continued, stopping over the threshold, his eyebrows furrowed.

A boy sat at the table, he had an electric welder in his hand, protection glasses on his nose, something just welded was smoking in front on him. Peter saw him straightening himself on the stool, leaving the tool on the table and turning towards him.

<<Hi>> the boy said, a friendly smile on his face.

He didn’t believe to find someone in that lab, in every other lab yes but not in that lab, not in one of Tony’s private lab. Peter was surprised but his spider sense didn’t warn him so the boy wasn’t a threat, even if his super sense often didn't work.

<<Hi>> greeted Peter slowly, without stopping to stare at the boy in front of him who should be sixteen more or less, maybe seventeen. Peter didn’t know if he was blipped, he had short blonde hair with a wavy thick fringe, blue eyes were hidden behind the protection glasses which he took off and left on the table before coming closer to him and handing out his hand.

<<You must be Peter, I’m Harley, Harley Keener>> he introduced himself. Peter looked at the hand then at Harley’s face. He tried to remember where he had met him before or if he had ever met him but nothing came to his mind. After a few minutes, Harley’s hand moved under Peter’s eyes, he woke up from his thoughts, blinked and shook Harley’s hand, paying attention to not tight too much.

<<Nice to meet… wait you know who I am>> the young hero realized, a twinkle in his eyes, he left Harley’s hand.

<<Yep Spidey>> Harley said turning around to leave his glasses which he had been taking in his hand on the table near to what he was working on.

Peter would have widen his eyes before but he, just like the rest of the world, must have found his identity on tv, radio or more probably social media. However he widened his eyes for what Harley said after.

<<Tony talked about you, he wanted us to meet but after all that has happened, the alien invasion, the blip and you know, it wasn’t possible>>

He knew, Harley was referring to Tony’s death, Peter’s heart lost a beat, the memories of the hero’s blank eyes while he was trying to tell him they won came in his mind, he clenched his fists. He shut out that thoughts and tried to focalize on Harley’s words, Tony wanted them to meet. How Harley was connected to Tony? Where did he meet Tony? From his words seemed that he knew Tony for a long time.

<<Have you been…>> started Peter unsure how to continue. 

<<Pulverized?>> Harley finished for him. Peter nodded.

<<Yeah like my sister and my mum>> Harley lowered his head a bit, he didn’t mention his dad Peter noted <<It wasn’t the best experience of my life>> he joked.

Peter well knew what to be pulverized meant, to see but above all feel that you are losing control of yourself, of your body meanwhile panic is rising inside you and the only thing you want is to not disappear because you know that means you’re dying. Peter remembered to have anchored to him, begged him, scared. The young hero shook his head, he didn’t want Harley, still a stranger for him, saw him crying.

An awkward silence fell between them, Peter lowered his head not knowing what to say, he was never been good to make friends, enemies yes, he was a master in that, Brad was an example.

Peter looked up after a while but avoided Harley’s eyes, he looked around in the lab instead. It was the same, same tables, same tools, same screens, he hadn’t noticed Dum-E before, near to Harley’s workstation. The old robot tilted its head like a puppy. 

<<So…>> started Harley after some infinite minutes of silence, Peter looked at him, he was smiling. He wore a plaid shirt red and black with a black t-shirt <<Would you like to see what I’m working on?>> he asked, pointing at the table behind him.

<<Yeah why not>> answered Peter after a few minutes, starting to move but Harley anticipated him coming back to the table. It was full of different tools, components, and wires. Harley opened an holographic screen of a project and began to explain to Peter his work, it was a project of a bluster gun like those of Star wars. As he spoke the excitement lit up his eyes and his smile, making Peter do the same. The young superhero found that they have a lot of things in common. Harley was a nerd just like him, and soon they started to talk about their favorite movies, videogames and their projects. Peter noticed that Harley was very similar to him, smart and maybe a little slyer than him, based on some of his stories.

Peter had found a new friend and for a moment forgot all the chaos of his status, as always happened with Tony. Regardless of how hard or stressful his day had been, when he walked in to the lab and started to work along with Tony, everything was forgotten, there were only him and his mentor. It was a nice feeling that he thought he would never feel that anymore.

Happy was watching at the tablet with a smile on his face, he shouldn’t do that, he shouldn’t spy them in that way ma in his defense he could say that he was doing that to assure that everything was ok, even if he was sure, it couldn’t be otherwise with those two.

He would have wanted Tony here to see them together, he would be proud of them, Happy had realized one of his will, even if he would rather do it in different circumstances. Anyway, he had heard Tony say it one night while he was in a video chat in the lab. He was talking with Harley, Happy had gone downstairs to call him for Pepper, he had seen him sitting on a stool in front of an holographic screen and he had stopped before entering the lab, he had hidden himself behind the wall near to the automatic door. Even then he had spied, without wanting that, the truth was he didn’t want to interrupt the moment.

_Tony was talking to Harley about Peter and his eyes shone as well as when he talked about the boys to Pepper and him. Tony didn’t even notice and when Happy o Pepper pointed it out to him, he denied saying that it was just a professional interest. He lied and he knew it._

_<<My sister would sell all her Barbies to know Spider-Man>> had said Harley._

_Happy saw Tony looked up at Harley on the holographic screen. The surprise on his face soon replaced by an expression of pride and complacency._

_<<You’re smarter than you seems>> the armored hero said, Happy saw him taking a nut from a pack on the table in front of him. He had hidden those packs everywhere, Happy didn’t know when he had found time to do it. <<How did you find out?>> Tony asked Harley putting in his mouth a handful of nuts, raising his chin._

_<<We’re connected>> answered Harley smiling. The ex bodyguard saw Tony lowering his gaze and smile shaking his head._

_Happy didn’t realize to be smiling until someone got behind him, surprising him._

_<<Happy, what’s happening?>> asked Pepper. She had come because probably he was taking too much time to call Tony. The head of the security tried to recompose himself._

_<<Nothing, nothing, it’s everything ok>> he said immediately, as sure as he could, fixing his jacket and his tie._

_<<You two should meet>> Tony was saying with a masticated tone, as he had something in his mouth. <<I’m sure you two can do great things>>_

_<<Yeah sure>> answered Harley._

_<<Good, it’s done>> Tony stood from the stool <<See you soon kid and don’t forget what I said to you, stay out of trouble>> he warned the boy point ing a finger towards him._

_Happy didn’t know what Tony was referring to because Pepper’s arrival had distracted him._

_<<Sure, see you soon mechanic>> greeted Harley. Said mechanic closed the video chat and holographic screen with a gesture of his hand. He took the pack of nuts on the table and headed to the other side of the lab, disappearing from the sight of the ex bodyguard._

_When Happy turned around, Pepper was smiling, from her expression he guessed that she had understood what he was doing. He shrugged, she put a hand on his shoulder and then together walked into the lab._

From that spied conversation had been long time, during which literally the end of the world had happened and that desire had been unfulfilled. It had always been in Happy’s mind like the engagement ring had been in his pocket for years before Tony decided to use it. Now here are they, Peter and Harley in the lab while they talked about science and movies, videogames and things too difficult for Happy to comprehend. Harley, like Peter, was suffering for Tony’s death and with his mother they had made arrangement to take him to the compound for the summer in way he could distract himself in the only way those like him, like Peter and Tony could distract themselves, building things. Happy sighed.

<<Do you see them my friend?>> asked the head of security facing the ceiling, with a light smile and shiny eyes. He was talking to that employer who had been more than that, he had been an hero but above all a friend, a brother, a family.

<<Here we go?>> a small and soft voice grabbed his attention. Happy collected himself, sniffed and tried to regained composure. It was Morgan who was pulling his sleeve, kneeled on the coach where he had been sat watching the kids knowing each other. Both of them had suffered a lot, too much for their age and they had lost a lot but know they didn’t have to deal with their pain alone and as Tony had said long time ago, they would have done great things together. There were just a missing piece in that puzzle.

Happy turned towards the little girl who day by day became more similar to her dad, two little lively eyes were looking at him. He smiled at her.

<<Here we go Happy?>> she asked again, pulling once more his sleeve, moving on the coach, making her hair swinging along her cheeks. She was impatient and the man didn’t know for how long he had been lost in his thoughts.

<<Yes baby, here we go>> answered standing up from the coach, Morgan followed him descending from it.

She was so small compared to him, Happy took her hand <<There are two people I want you to know>> he told her. He left the tablet on the coffee table and began heading to the door.

<<Harley and Peter?>> she asked looking up at him while they were walking, she wore a red dress which made her looking like a doll.

There were a missing piece to the puzzle and Happy was looking at it.

<<Exactly>> confirmed her <<You’ll like them>> assured her, he squeezed gently her little hand.

<<Do My brothers like cheeseburgers?>> she asked after a while.

They exited the common area of the compound and they were walking in to the hallway. Happy smiled. She was smart like her dad. The ex bodyguard took her in his arms.

<<I’m sure they do>> he told her while he took her to know her two brothers of who she has just heard. Morgan clang herself to Happy’s neck.

Now the puzzle was complete.


End file.
